Building Information Modeling (BIM) and/or Facility Information Modeling (FIM) involves producing an electronic model of a facility, including a building structure, such as a hospital, or a non-building structure, such as a bridge. These modeling techniques generally utilize object-oriented building development processes with a related set of software applications that utilize multi-dimensional, digital modeling concepts, information technology and software interoperability to plan, design, construct, commission, and operate, maintain, re-use and repair a building project. Building Information Modeling and/or Facility Information Modeling can communicate its details including building geometry, spatial relationships, performance information, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building assemblies, systems, equipment and components to numerous persons associated with a construction project. Building Information Modeling and/or Facility Information Modeling increases productivity in building planning, design, construction, commissioning, and operations, maintenance, re-use and repair.
BIM/FIM models are important in the field because the field is the point of construction, the point of commissioning, and the point of operations and maintenance, i.e., it is the physical place and spatial location where construction personnel and operations and maintenance personnel require building data and facility data to perform field management programs and processes.
However, a problem with Building Information Modeling and/or Facility Information Modeling is that the produced electronic models are not readily accessible in the field, i.e., such models are not assessable at a job-site on portable devices such as mobile smart phones or tablet computers. Particularly, portable devices lack the required memory for viewing large file size, such as the three-dimensional electronic models produced from BIM/FIM modeling. When faced with trying to load a file that exceeds the allowable memory limits, the portable device is generally designed to shut down and close immediately.